Fortune Favors The Cold
by TinyAppleSlice
Summary: Too many Trainers want to be the protagonist of history books. All Elle wants to do is be the protagonist of her own life. "Fortune favors the bold" is false. Luck isn't with the bold. Luck is with those who carve out a small piece of destiny. SI OC


Disclaimer: TinyAppleSlice does not own Pokémon.

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**Fortune Favors The Cold**

Chapter 1: Wanderlust

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Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.

"Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost

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When Erica was young, she witnessed the making of a legend. Her sparkling eyes were glued to the TV screen, her stuffed Pichu doll was crushed close to the heart, and a victorious Red was emblazoned into her memory forever. One day, she declared, she would love a Pokémon so, so much and become Mister Red's bestest friend in the whole wide world!

Elle, her older sibling, barely looked up from her novel.

When Erica got a little older, she begged pretty pretty please if she could go to Pokémon School instead of boring, regular school, and Papa could never resist her puppy-Growlithe eyes! Her master plan succeeded, but Papa said she had to convince Elle to leave boring school and come to Pokémon School too. Determined, Erica prodded and annoyed Elle repeatedly, but her sister wouldn't budge! She just kept sleeping! Erica's eyes began to water in frustration, her full-on pout emerged, and out came the waterworks. Elle did not appreciate the early wake-up call. After two hours of grouchy sisters, high-pitched shouting, parental intervention, and slamming doors, Erica knocked on Elle's door with tear-stained eyes. She apologized in a small voice for waking Elle up, but she just really wanted to go to Pokémon School then love a Pokémon then instantaneously become BFFLs with Red, but that wouldn't happen if Elle didn't wake up and go to Pokémon School with her! Sighing, Elle said she'd think about it, and the two hugged in a magical sister hug that fixed all problems. Two weeks later, the Pokémon School registration forms were complete.

At recess, Erica decided that a likeminded girl named Whitney would be her best friend, but only Red would be her true BFF. Nodding, Erica concluded that she and Whitney would gush over fashion, cute Pokémon, and Red in the meantime, and she ran off towards the pinkette with the latest in ribbon technology. Elle, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen. After heatedly arguing over the aesthetics of yellow vs. pink, Erica and Whitney happened upon Elle cozied up on the shoulder of a blue-haired boy in the shade of a secluded tree. Erica quickly shushed Whitney, swore the pinkette to secrecy, and prided herself for following sister code. Nobody would tease Elle over this. Nobody except Erica, that is.

Papa was a PC technician, and Mama was a mail carrier. Papa said that he had finally fixed up the antiquated computer system in Violet City, and Mama could work anywhere. Thus, it was time for goodbyes. Papa's eyes gleamed at the challenge of working with aerospace engineers and astronauts, while Mama had wisely flown most of the family's belongings to Hoenn beforehand. Erica and Whitney's farewell was chock full of tearful embraces and colorful keepsakes. Elle was quietly mournful, having done her goodbyes yesterday. With one last kiss on the cheek from Erica and one last sad-girl-faces-the-wind movie scene by Elle, the girls were off on their mother's Skarmory, fading slowly into the too-blue sky.

Mossdeep City was energetic and fun, totally Erica's style! She cheerfully greeted many residents on her way to shallow water. Her tongue poked out of her mouth as she dug up miscellaneous items in search of a coveted Heart Scale. She raced other children to the dubbed "Sand Island," where Elle lazily sunbathed, open book in hand. When the sun began to set, the two walked home, Erica regaling her sister with tales of sandcastle conquests and beach-tanned Apollos. After hasty showers and TV dinners, a set of twin toddlers were dropped off for a night of giggling under the covers. Erica twirled little Liza around, while a wanting Tate put his arms up as a universal sign of "pick me up too!" Elle swept him into her arms, and the four played with their imaginations until the twins tired out simultaneously. The early morning hours brought a yawning Elle to the door, meeting two apologetic scientists with hectic work schedules. Elle watched the twins being lovingly carried home, and a waking Erica watched Elle, wondering why her face looked even sadder in the sunrise.

Just before Erica turned ten, Elle helped her research where the starter Pokémon would be the cutest, and their evolutions would be the coolest. They narrowed the results down to Kanto and Hoenn. Not wanting to be another stereotypical Red wannabe, Erica's choice was clear. As the rest of the family packed their bags for another move, Erica readied for her journey, dropping potions and pokéballs into a fashionable yellow backpack. Papa bawled his eyes out during dinner, Mama triple-checked her belongings, sliding a forgotten map into the side pocket, and Elle wandered into Erica's bed at night, embracing a warmth that would soon be gone. In the dead of the night, Erica whispered her fears to Elle, and she silently asked with inquiring eyes why two years had gone by without Elle going on a journey of her own. Elle explained that Pokémon were wonderful, but journeys involved things like taking care of Pokémon poop. Then, she stuck out her tongue, making disgusted noises really close to Erica's face. Erica laughed, fears evaporating, and pushed her sister away, saying Pokémon poop wouldn't be a problem for her. The two chatted late into the night, and Erica swore she would call Elle "sisTOR" forever once Elle admonished Erica for wanting to pick Mudkip instead of Torchic. The soon-to-be-Trainer eventually fell asleep, and Elle dreaded the morning that would take her best friend away.

The weather was perfect for the birth of a new legend. With a "See you soon, sistor!" and a sassy wink, Erica flew off on Skarmory for Professor Birch's Lab. The house was bustling with movers since Mama's sole bird Pokémon was out of commission, and Elle dozed on the deck of the boat then the back of the moving truck, dreaming of the day her family could stay in one place for once. Papa was always traveling to PCs, and Mama went out on multiple-day trips for deliveries. Roused from her long slumber, Elle gasped when she saw the new house, a quaint two-story with a charming garden. She fell in love. She fell in love with the lackadaisical pace of life, she fell in love with the wandering Slowpoke, and she fell in love with the well at the edge of town, prime for somberly staring at her reflection or jumping in puddles, whichever best fit her mood. Elle was so in love with Azalea Town that she finally put her foot down a year later, when Papa's hands clapped excitedly at the idea of performing CPR on another failing computer system in a faraway land. The ensuing heavy discussion lasted a fortnight and ended with Papa's tears. Mama arranged an accountability system involving Kurt, a hardy old man with a powerful team of Pokémon, and Elle was to check in with him every day. Mama's Skarmory had come back the week after Erica had left, and after countless messenger trips, he was ready for a successful flight once more. Papa affectionately patted her on the head, and Mama reminded her of her responsibilities one final time before both parents were gone with the wind. As the bird Pokémon gradually faded from view, Elle knelt down in the grass and cried. Although traveling to so many places had bred extraordinary experiences, she no longer felt like a victim of her parents' wanderlust. She had a permanent home. She had a lovely house with a tiny berry harvest, a job watching over baby Maizie, countless puddles to jump in, and treasured books to read. There were even talks of a gym opening up in the coming year, and Elle moaned at the idea of incoming Trainers busying up the place. Still, this was home. This was a home for Papa, Mama, and Erica to come back to.

This is where our tale begins.


End file.
